Just Us
by Dragon's Lover1
Summary: *Oneshot* In the years following the manga's end, Kagome returns to being a miko and marries Inuyasha. From there she has a habit of traveling around, helping people as she goes. But this also means Inuyasha goes with her, and still suffers prejudice. . .


**Disclaimer:** _Inuyasha_ is owned by Rumiko Takahashi. I am not profiting from this fanfiction.

_**Just Us**_

"I still can't believe you keep doing this," Inuyasha told her.

Kagome just smiled. "I have to do _something_ with my life. This is the only thing I'm good at - and the only thing I can do that you _can't,_" she teased. "Kami knows you do everything else _for_ me."

"Can I help it if I want to keep you happy and content?" he asked, blushing a little at the admission.

Kagome had been back for close to a year, here with him, permanently. He never bothered to argue the point of her time being safer; he knew it would be pointless. She couldn't go back now, and he didn't want her to, either. Ever since she returned, he'd been going out of his way, in every possible sense of the word, to keep her happy. And in doing so, he kept learning more about her. With every little quirk or habit he discovered, he wanted to learn a dozen more. He hoped she had the same craving.

The way she looked at him had him convinced she did.

But she wanted to do things herself, things fitting of her capabilities. Who was he to deny her wishes? So now she was a priestess, a miko, married to a hanyou (though they kept that a secret as best they could), who went out of her way to help others. They traveled near-constantly, stopping to clear demons out of villages, bless newborns, and offer prayers.

That was why they were on the road now. Though he wanted to carry her on his back like he always used to, she enjoyed walking one foot in front of the other. That, and it was more fitting of a miko to walk, as opposed to being carried everywhere. At least he could carry her all he liked in private. She enjoyed that, too.

He smiled now, thinking about it. She didn't notice, looking ahead.

When they arrived at a village two days later, she was greeted immediately by the resident lord. But while he seemed pleased at an arriving miko, he looked at Inuyasha with suspicion, distrust. Inuyasha was used to that. He asked about the youkai following a miko around. They'd covered that question on many occasions as well.

"He protects me," Kagome answered, both of them knowing the explanation was readily accepted from her. "A bodyguard, if you will." She didn't bother to add that he wasn't a youkai, but a hanyou; she never did make the distinction anymore.

"What does he do?" the lord asked.

"Whatever I need of him." Which was true in its entirety. He would jump into the fires of hell, if she would but ask him to.

"Do you need anything?" Inuyasha asked him.

When the lord gave him an unappreciative look, Kagome cut in, "It's why we're here, why we travel. Can I offer any blessings?"

"Actually," the lord began, "you came at a great time. We are in need of a miko's blessings. Four of our women had babies in the last month, one of them with twins. Would you be so kind as to bless the babes?"

"It would be an honor," Kagome bowed.

And, Inuyasha knew, her greatest joy as a miko. Blessing babies was the light of her day whenever she did.

"And, your demon -" Inuyasha bit back a growl - "is he going to. . .accompany you?"

"The blessing must be done in private," she told him, "but Inuyasha goes with me everywhere."

The lord looked positively appalled. Inuyasha loved it when they gave those expressions, because he knew the truth of it. He didn't just _accompany_ her everywhere, he often joined in. Dinner, play, bathing, sleeping, everything. He was, after all, her husband. Wicked thoughts plagued him every time this subject was brought up.

It was clear the lord didn't approve, which was another common occurrence. He stopped, saying, "Miko-sama. . .I don't want to question you or your purity, but. . ."

Inuyasha had to bite back a laugh.

Kagome smiled. "You needn't worry. I am Kikyo-sama, reincarnated. I will die a miko, as pure as the day I was born."

She'd practiced that sentence, having to explain it so many times before. The lord believed her then, seeming relieved. He nodded, smiling. They discovered long ago that simply mentioning that Kagome was, in fact, Kikyo's reincarnation did wonders to earn instant trust. It answered every question asked, even those that hadn't been voiced. After all, everyone knew Kikyo, who died fifty years prior, the keeper of the Shikon no Tama.

Kagome's name had spread throughout the country since the time of Naraku's defeat, anyway. Usually the moment she introduced herself as Kagome the miko. . .silence. People would stare, knowing her. Knowing her connection to Kikyo. Knowing she had, at last, purified the Shikon no Tama, ridding the world of it. Her attentions were often fought over, from other budding miko, to suitors, to those who needed blessings.

The lord knew it as well, dropping into a bow. "My apologies for doubting you, Kagome no miko-sama."

"No offense was taken," she said with an answering bow. "I'm afraid I get that question often."

The man blushed. "I didn't think. . ."

Inuyasha had enough. Cutting in, he blurted, "We still have a lot of traveling to do. Can we stop with the apologies and get to it?"

Kagome shot him a warning look - but it was a show, he knew. She was actually glad he got the man to shut up. The warning was nothing more than an act so no one doubted her place as miko.

"Yes, of course," the lord said, shaking himself out of the stupor he'd landed in from Inuyasha's disrespectful tone. He sent Inuyasha another judging look before going on, leading them.

Four houses - huts, really - they visited. Inuyasha sat outside, garnering suspicious glances from all the scurrying humans about. For the sake of keeping everyone calm, he stayed still, sitting with his legs crossed, arms inside his sleeves, Tessaiga over his shoulder. He kept his eyes shut, hoping he appeared as one who was in prayer or meditation.

At the third hut, a child of eight or nine approached him, stared at him. He knew without looking, could feel the gazes on him, smell the boy so near. After a few moments, he looked down at the boy, saying nothing.

He boy jumped in surprise. "Your eyes -" he blurted.

"They're yellow?" Inuyasha asked.

The boy nodded. "Why are they yellow?"

"Because I'm a youkai." Sure, he knew he wasn't; the boy didn't. And he didn't feel like explaining.

"But youkai are evil."

"How do you know that?"

"Mama and papa say so."

"Have they ever met a youkai?"

The boy opened his mouth, closed it. "So youkai are good?"

"Youkai," Inuyasha explained, "are like humans - there are good ones, there are bad ones."

"But there's so many bad ones."

"No - youkai are very strong, boy. Stronger than you know. When bad youkai do bad things, they can be very, very bad. But when good youkai do good things, they can be very, very good."

"I heard Naraku was the baddest."

"You know I'm here with a miko?"

"Yes."

"Miko-sama and I fought Naraku. We killed him, to save the humans." He didn't bother to add that there were many more to their team.

The boy's eyes grew large, looking at him with admiration now. "Then you're a really, really good youkai!" he concluded.

Inuyasha smiled. "Right."

"Sanosuke!" a voice snapped. A man darted over and snatched up the boy before the child could protest.

But as they left, Inuyasha could hear the boy repeating everything Inuyasha had told him. He shut his eyes again, breathing deep. If he listened hard, he could hear all the whispers going on around him as he awaited Kagome. Some of them were curious, others degrading, a few damning. This part of traveling in and out of villages always irritated him. But he'd be damned before he got in the way of what Kagome wanted.

Later that night, they had lodging in this same village. The blessings took longer than they anticipated, and in thanks, the lord offered them a place to stay. Unfortunately the village was big, but lacking many extra rooms. They were forced to stay in a small room no larger than Kaede's hut. Originally they were given two rooms, until Kagome declined. She told them that, as Inuyasha was her guardian, he needed to be near enough to protect her at all times. This included bunking in the same room with her. A partition was added between the bedrolls.

They had no idea that Inuyasha had no intention of letting both beds be used. He was fully planning on having Kagome sleep draped across his chest, as they normally did.

"The repetition is getting annoying," he told her. "Always giving me the same looks, always asking the same questions. They don't even vary much." He shrugged out of his haori.

Kagome laughed quietly. "You have that effect on people, you know. Everyone is always curious about you."

"I'd be content just having an effect on _you_," he teased, pulling her against him. She lifted her chin, expecting a kiss. Instead, he lowered his head to her ear and whispered, "There's a gaggle of girls peeking through the door."

She lifted her arms, winding them around his neck. Equally quiet, she said, "Do you think they'll tell?"

"Does it matter?"

"It does - to the babies I blessed today."

He thought it over, kissed the side of her neck. "It'll be fine. Just give another of your speeches."

She leaned back, stroked his cheek, an infinite amount of love in her eyes. "You've earned my trust and acceptance. Is theirs really so important?"

He thought it over - not just what he would say, but a smart answer to keep the speech going. After all, she was excellent at these speeches, and it never ceased to impress him. "You don't know what it's like on my side. People don't reject you or stare at you with hate in their eyes. People love you - because you're a human, like them."

Her smile grew tender. "Give them a reason to trust you. That's all it takes."

"They fight me on that, refuse to give me that chance."

"Always?"

"Mostly. Until you."

She stood on her toes, pulled him down, and kissed him. It was a small, sweet thing, and it made his heart swell. Not just because of the kiss, but her reason for it: to prove her acceptance of him. Honestly, his words were as true as hers, if carefully chosen. And he heard, on the other side of that door, how the girls gasped in shock. Six girls, by his count.

"Forget them for now," she said. "Imagine it's just us, here, together." She slid a hand down his arm, took his hand, lifted it. One by one, she planted tiny kisses on his fingers, near the sharp white claws adorning each. She was showing such devotion to him, he knew it would appall any person who saw, even if she weren't a miko.

"Just us?" he echoed.

She smiled wider. Instead of answering, she thread her fingers through his, then placed his fingertip to her lips, holding it there. "I love you, Inuyasha," she murmured.

That never ceased to draw a broad smile from him. It also never ceased to make young ladies faint, hearing a miko admit her love for a youkai. The other side of the door gasped again, and then there was a thud as though someone collapsed.

Even Kagome heard that one, though they both pretended not to. There was a lesson here for those girls to learn.

"Kagome," he said, stroking her cheek, "I've always loved you."

Her smile grew. As if challenging the truth of his statement, she said, "Prove it."

He kissed her, more forcefully than she had. He might as well have devoured her lips, tilting his head this way and that to get a better angle. Occasionally, she would gasp, a habit she'd always had. The pleasure of his kisses always seemed to catch her off guard.

His ear twitched, hearing those girls start murmuring quickly, quietly. He heard snippets of phrases: "But isn't she a miko?" "Does this mean she isn't anymore?" "How can she enjoy herself?" "He has fangs!" "I saw their _tongues!_"

That last one was a lie, but it made him want to prove the girl right. After all, Kagome's tongue. . .it tasted exquisite, so much so that he never wanted to stop kissing her, once they'd gotten started.

Taking a glance around the room, he lifted her up, holding her there with her legs around him. She cupped his face, traced his jaw, thread her fingers through the hair at the back of his neck. He truly loved the way she touched him, especially so because it was _Kagome_. Then he took two steps, towards a little table placed against the wall. He set her there, and now that his hands were free, tilted her head a certain way.

He opened his mouth, ran his tongue across her lips, coaxed her to do the same. He made sure the girls would get a good view of this, of what passion _really_ looked like. What a married couple could do in privacy, shamelessly. He ignored the part of his mind that told him the girls didn't know he and Kagome were married.

There was a silence outside the room - until the moment his and her tongues touched, quickly hidden by their mouths. That was when two more thuds were heard and the whispers grew more fevered. "I didn't know you could _do _that!" "He has such audacity!" "But she looks so happy." "And they love each other?" "Does that make it okay?" "She's _moaning_!" "I think I'm going to faint. . ." "I'm so jealous."

His heart was thudding hard in his chest already, but now it might as well have leapt from his body. Those girls were getting jealous, and the knowledge empowered him. They were jealous, not of a miko, but of a woman, with a youkai (or so they thought) fairly devouring her mouth. He pulled her closer, kissed her harder, tangled his fingers in her hair. His passion grew, and he knew that tonight, nothing was going to keep him from loving her.

Because, as Kagome had stated so obviously, it was just them.

And then she broke the kiss, one hand on his chest, keeping him at bay. She was breathing hard, practically panting. He was, too, though with more satisfaction - satisfaction at hearing the girls' whispers. One in particular stood out to him, before they went silent again.

"She can't have lost her purity from a few kisses."

Now if only there were a way to teach those teenagers that sex wasn't a sin (as long as the two were married or in love), regardless of occupation. Kagome could never lose her purity from making love with him, not as long as they still loved each other.

Though he had no thought of it beforehand, he said, "I belong to you."

She touched her hand to her mouth, eyes growing soft. She kissed him, sweetly. "I belong _with _you," she replied. "Forever."

The murmurs reached his ears again. On one side, he wished they would be silent; on the other, he was glad for the commentary. "That is so romantic." "A miko and a youkai. . .who could have imagined?" "And they're so in love. . ." "Let's go, girls." "Yeah, leave them be." Retreating footsteps, carefully placed, followed them as they left.

He leaned in close to her again, pressing their foreheads together. He mouthed to her, "We're alone."

She smiled a wicked smile and mouthed back, "Good."


End file.
